While snacking occasions continue to increase, snack food manufacturers and retailers need to be aware of some relevant macro trends that are impacting whether consumers buy a brand or leave it on the shelf.

With major CPG manufacturers like Nestle and Unilever now investing in meal kit startups, and Blue Apron’s IPO bringing the company to a valuation of nearly $2 billion, meal kit subscriptions are becoming a more visible option.

Leading global discount supermarkets have begun investing in the U.S. and extending their footprint. Shoppers are attracted by their low prices and good quality assortment. This can be a challenge for more traditional supermarkets that want to keep their shoppers from switching to discount retailers.

Social media. The term itself can provoke groans as often as it does excitement. To many, it means staying up to date with friends and family, including posting cute pictures of kids and pets and getting lots of likes and comments. To others, social media is a time sink that threatens to replace face-to-face human interactions.

With the rise of online shopping, consumer purchase habits are changing at a breakneck speed. Not since the invention of the automobile, and the freedom it gave consumers to shop in farther-away places, have American consumers adjusted their buying behavior so drastically.